


A Tender Moment

by GoldieClaws



Series: Selfship Fiction - Black Silk universe [2]
Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Oneshot, Original Demigirl Character - Freeform, Polyamory, emlyn is mentioned often but the main focus is still tim and rhys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:08:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26793397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoldieClaws/pseuds/GoldieClaws
Summary: After fleeing a sudden rainstorm that ruins their plans for the day, Tim and Rhys decide to spend the rest of their time together watching ‘so bad it’s good’ films with a few drinks.As day turns to evening however, Tim starts to wonder if he can go a bit further with his and Rhys’ relationship.
Relationships: Timothy Lawrence/Rhys
Series: Selfship Fiction - Black Silk universe [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1953868
Kudos: 4





	A Tender Moment

**Author's Note:**

> Forgetting to change the post date on oneshots is my mortal enemy and I hate every second of it.
> 
> Anyway, I dreamed this fic up and my mind refused to let go of it until i got it on paper. go figure lmao. Sometimes writing about two guys who love each other very much is its own free therapy.

Still dripping wet from the sudden storm that had appeared out of nowhere, Tim took off his jacket and ruffled his hair as Rhys unlocked the front door to their apartment. Already they were both leaving large puddles in their wake and Tim hoped it wasn’t going to ruin the wooden floors of the apartment’s entrance.

After struggling a few times with the keypad with how slippery everything was, Rhys smiled to himself when it happily beeped at him.

“Ah, finally!” He exclaimed as the door slid open and the two darted inside, being hit with a wave of warmth from the apartment itself.

Rhys went to hang up his own jacket and turned to face Tim.

“Going to make myself a cup of tea before I change into some fresh clothes. Do you want one as well?” He asked.

“Do we have any Earl Grey?”

Rhys thought to himself for a moment.

“Pretty sure we do. Emlyn did a supply run the other day and I know that she knows you have your favourites.”

At that, Tim laughed. It was always nice being reminded that he’d left such an impression on her that she could pick something out for him and know that’s exactly what he wanted.

“Well, I’ll go with old faithful then.”

Rhys nodded and walked into the kitchen, leaving Tim to his own devices.

For a moment, he just stood there and watched the rain rattle away against the large windows that overlooked the kitchen, fireplace, television and couch.

The two had hoped they could have spent the day at Lazy River Land whilst Emlyn tended to her own matters, but it seemed the weather had it out for them. Guess that strawberry daiquiri he’d been pining for the whole week would have to wait.

A sudden wave of shivers brought Tim back to reality and he quickly hung his own jacket up alongside Rhys’. He walked up to the kitchen and popped his head in.

“I’m going to run upstairs and change into some fresh clothes too. Just leave my tea on the side and I’ll grab it when I come back down.”

“Of course!” Rhys replied, and Tim ran up the stairs and to his room.

Just like the rest of the apartment, his bedroom was nice and warm, with a clear view of Promethea from his window. The dark storm clouds went on for miles and miles, with no clear sign of letting up. Tim shook his head.

“Can’t be helped I suppose.” He grumbled as he undressed himself, grabbing a tank top and baggy trousers from his drawers. He then quickly darted into the bathroom, drying his hair as best he could with a towel. Once he was happy it wasn’t going to drip everywhere, he admired himself with amusement in the mirror before fixing his hair so it wasn’t pointing in every direction.

Confident he looked the part, Tim headed back downstairs to see his and Rhys’ teacups sitting on the side. He picked them both up and walked over to the couch by the television and fireplace, placing the two cups next to each other on the coffee table.

Knowing Rhys, he could take his merry time finding something nice and comfortable to wear whilst fixing his hairstyle, even in his own home, so Tim grabbed the remote, turned the TV on and flicked through the films that were available to watch.

As the two had run back home, they’d briefly discussed the idea of watching a film together instead. Tim wondered if they had any popcorn in the pantry, but it was doubtful. At least they had other types of sweets and chocolate to keep them busy.

Slowly, Tim went down the list of films.

_ Would Rhys be up for a romcom? Or would he prefer something with more action? _

They really should have agreed on what to watch before they got back, because Tim knew it would take them forever to pick something to watch.

Then, he spied it and already he could feel himself cracking a smile.

Of course. Who could forget the old classic known as The Room? The perfect mix of being so bad, you just had to continue watching it to see how this trainwreck ended. It could certainly help brighten up the mood after their previous plans had been ruined.

Eventually, Rhys returned downstairs, now wearing a shirt with short sleeves, jeans, and with his hair neatly brushed back. He walked over with a smile, only to pause when he noticed what Tim was hovering over on the TV.

“We’re watching The Room now, are we?” Rhys asked, amused.

“Got anything better in mind?” Tim responded, which Rhys met with a shrug.

“I suppose not.” Rhys sighed and turned back to the kitchen.

“Where are you going? Aren’t you going to watch the film with me?”

“I think a film like that demands something a bit stronger than tea, don’t you think?”

Tim laughed.

“Are we turning into daytime drinkers now?” He asked.

“Perhaps. I’ll wait for you to drink your tea first. You up for sharing a bottle of sherry?”

“Always.”

* * *

As Tim rested his head on Rhys’ shoulder, he closed his eyes and let his mind start to wonder as the film on the TV droned on in the background. He’d long since stopped paying attention to what was going on, preferring the company of Rhys over the film.

It had been two years now since he’d been able to escape Jack’s casino and gotten to know Emlyn and Rhys. He could still remember how out of place he felt between the two of them, especially once he became aware of Rhys' own history with Jack. Back then, even once he was free of the mask but still awaiting surgery to remove the Vault symbol and become his own person, he had chosen to avoid Rhys at every opportunity, growing to hate the split second of panic in Rhys’ expression each time the two crossed paths. He was grateful Emlyn didn’t share the same sentiment over his appearance, but even then it had taken the two a good while to grow accustomed to each other’s presence. Definitely a smart move on Emlyn’s part to have them in separate bedrooms, otherwise they would have likely gotten nowhere with becoming used to one another or even growing to love each other.

He couldn’t blame Rhys for his discomfort however. The poor man still had nightmares every now and then, sending him back to his last encounter with Jack when the latter had tried to kill him. Tim knew far too well that an encounter like that didn’t disappear from one’s mind without great effort.

Only in the past few months had the two men been able to comfortably enjoy one another’s company without Emlyn’s aid, but even then it was still a weight off both of their shoulders.

He felt Rhys put his arm around him and pull him closer, gently rubbing his chin against Tim’s hair, which made Tim smile. At least despite everything he’d been through, his hair was still wonderfully soft to the touch. Even Emlyn’s skags: Evie and Aria, couldn’t keep themselves off him. Every encounter always led to him wondering if he’d be able to escape without being covered in skag kisses with how much they loved rubbing up against him. Emlyn would be endlessly telling them off, saying they shouldn’t be touching his face so much and to let him breathe, but at this point he loved it too much to argue.

After he’d gotten that blasted mask off his face, Tim had never felt so invigorated, like he could run laps around Promethea with how happy he was at  _ finally  _ being free of Jack’s influence. He could still remember thinking  _ fuck you Jack, fuck you Jack  _ as the mask had been removed, knowing he would never have to deal with that disgusting thing ever again. Emlyn had even helped him hold her rocket launcher so he could blast the mask to kingdom come himself. He could still hear and see that satisfying explosion as the mask was torn to smithereens.

However, what he didn’t anticipate was how…  _ weird  _ it felt to have someone touch his face, his  _ actual  _ face, once again.

His first instinct when Emlyn had done so was to recoil, throw his arms up in self-defense for a reason even he didn’t know how to answer. He’d apologised repeatedly of course, but Emlyn had just laughed softly.

“It’s OK.” She’d said. “Baby steps, Tim.”

It had taken some time, but eventually he’d once again grown used to the gentle caress of a hand against his cheek, or a light kiss on his lips. Now without fear of explosive masks or being hunted down for who he was, he was more than happy to melt into Emlyn’s arms and rest his head against her chest, listening to the steady beat of her heart.

_ Maybe one day I’ll get to do that with Rhys.  _ Tim often thought. He wasn’t always the best at making the first move. At least, one that wouldn’t result in him accidentally embarrassing himself, but as always that was just another learning curve. Perhaps if he tried to give off the correct vibes, he could see if he and Rhys were as good a match as they were both to Emlyn.

* * *

Maybe it was the alcohol talking, but Rhys seemed more daring in showing his affection towards Tim than normal as the sky darkened and the sun began to set. The arm that was around Tim began to hover around his waist and Rhys had sunk down slightly in his seat so that their faces were level with each other. Tim didn’t mind though, he was too lost in enjoying Rhys’ body pressed against his own to care.

Now, Rhys was gently rubbing his face against Tim’s, making Tim giggle with how ticklish the former’s mustache was.

“Amazed you still keep that ‘seige mustache’ of yours when you don’t need it anymore.” Tim joked.

Rhys hummed.

“What can I say? Emlyn loves it.” Then, he paused. “What about you?”

“Mm. I’m not one for mustaches. Not on myself anyway.”

“Was that a compliment?”

“If you want it to be. It suits you.”

The sounds of the TV seemed to fade out as the two sat there. Tim wondered what Rhys was going to do next to show off his affection, when he finally got his answer.

In a rather vain attempt to be stealthy and not be noticed, Rhys leaned in and lightly kissed Tim on the cheek. Tim felt his cheeks flush, taking a moment to register what had just happened.

“Did… did you just kiss me?” Somehow Tim hadn’t even anticipated such an advance. Perhaps he was giving off the right vibes after all.

Something in his tone must have made Rhys overreact, as already he was blushing too.

“Yes!” He started. “I just… thought you wanted me to. You didn’t seem annoyed by me hugging you or feeling your hair so I thought ‘hey, why not?’” It was clear he was panicking, worried he’d stepped over a line that would get him reprimanded, until Tim met him with a soft chuckle.

“Hey, I didn’t say I didn’t like it.”

Rhys relaxed slightly.

“You… wouldn’t mind if I did it again?”

“Not at all.”

Slowly, Rhys put both of his arms around Tim, moving his body so the two were chest to chest. Then, after a slight pause, Rhys leaned forward and kissed Tim on the lips. It was slightly firmer than the previous kiss, but still with hesitation behind it, as though he were expecting Tim to suddenly change his mind. The sensation of Rhys’ mustache made him giggle again and he held Rhys’ face in both hands.

“How the hell do you get away with this with Emlyn?” He asked as he rubbed Rhys’ upper lip with his thumb. Rhys rolled his eyes.

“I told you, she likes it.” He tilted his head. “Maybe you’re just not a mustache man.”

“Hmm. Not if it’s you.”

“So it  _ does _ suit me?”

At that, Tim made his own move and kissed Rhys back, smiling all the while.

“Always has.”

With bodies now intertwined, the two sat there in one another’s arms, every now and then taking it in turns to cover the other in kisses that gradually got more confident the longer they went on. Despite their own past experiences with other partners, there was always something about the first kiss with someone new that caught them both off guard.

Eventually, Tim broke away, making Rhys blink in surprise.

“Something wrong?”

“N-no...” Tim started, rolling his shoulders. “I was just wondering: would it… be OK if you lie on top of me?” Tim said, only to interrupt himself. “Not in a sexy way, just. It’s comforting to feel the weight of someone near you, if you get what I mean.”

“Like someone is pushing your body back together, or something like that, right?” Rhys said.

Tim nodded.

“Yeah. Exactly like that.”

Tim moved onto his back and as Rhys laid down on top of him, he wrapped his arms around Rhys and held him close, taking in deep breaths as he now listened to the steady beat of Rhys’ heart against his own.

He always loved it when he and Emlyn would lie down like this. It was difficult to describe, but it did indeed feel like his body was being pieced back together again. Like she was forcing his soul to return to his body and make him whole again. He still remembered the first time she’d done this with him. The pressure of her body against his had nearly made him cry. He’d never realised how touch-starved he’d been until that moment.

It had always been nice to feel something. It had always been nice to feel  _ loved _ .

“I’m glad I got to know you, Rhys.” Tim said, gently running his fingers through Rhys’ hair.

“And I you, Tim.” He kissed Tim on the forehead. “And, I’m happy for you. We’ve all been through a lot, so maybe we were made for each other.”

At that Tim smiled.

“Yeah. Feels like all that… bullshit was  _ maybe  _ worthwhile, because I now have you.”

Now it was Rhys’ turn to smile.

“You can say that again.”

Still gently ruffling Rhys’ hair, Tim put his other hand on Rhys cheek.

“Can we lie like this for a while? Just until Emlyn gets back.”

“Of course.” Then, Rhys’ smile grew wider. “Just as long as you don’t end up ruining my hair.”

“Heh, no promises.”


End file.
